Engine-governor



(No Model.)

B. THOMPSON.

ENGINE GOVERNOR.

Patented Feb. 24,1891.

.a pulley on the shaft.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR THOMPSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PACIFIC GAS ENGINE COMPANY, OF CALIFORNIA.

ENGINE-GOVERNOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,957, dated February 24, 1891.

Application filed October 8, 1890. Serial No. 367,456. (No model.)

To all whom it may cmwer'n:

Be it known that I, EDGAR THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Governors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to governors that are adapted more particularly for gas and gasoline engines; and it consists, mainly, in a friction-coupling of novel construction, in combination with levers carrying revolving weights adapted to operate by their movement under centrifugal forcea valve-controlling mechanism, as hereinafter described.

The peculiar and novel feature possessed by this governor is that of restoring the governed valve immediately back to its full throw or normal position of supply as soon as any decrease in speed is felt by the centrifugal arms instead of having the return of the valve take place gradually and in proportion to the movement of the centrifugal arms, as in similar governors where the valve-controlling mechanism and the centrifugal arms are directly and positively connected.

The following description explains the na ture of my improvement and the manner in which I have constructed and applied the same in carrying out thisinvention,reference being had by figures and letters to the accompanying drawings, that form part of this specification.

- Figure 1 represents the governor in position and connected for operation on a gasengine of the single-acting upright kind. Fig. 2 is an elevation on an enlarged scale and partly in section. Fig. 3.is a top View in detail on the valve-controlling slide and connections. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the upper disk.

A is a loose sleeve on an upright post B, carrying on its upper end two centrifugal arms C C and bearing on its lower end a sheave or pulley D, to which motion is given from the engine-shaft and at a rate of speed always corresponding to that of the engine shaft. This may be done by a belt D from The centrifugal arms are hung on pivots 0* and have curved toes or arms C, that set outwardly'from the pivots, with their upper curved faces eccentric to the pivots. I

E is a disk, with a standingrim Fi mounted on the fixed post, both to run loosely and to slide freely on it. Ears on the hub E of the disk furnish bearings for the axles of two friction wheels or rollers F F, that rest on the toes of the centrifugal arms and are held against the curved upper edges of those parts by the tension of a spiral spring G, the one end of the spring being attached tothe sleeve at g and at the other end at as seen in Fig. 1. The disk E, being connected to the driven sleeve in'that manner, rotates continuously on the fixed post and is moved vertically, besides, by the angular movements of the centrifugal arms. I

Above and in close relation to the disk E is a second disk H, of suitable size to fit in the rim of the disk when that part is moved upward against it and capable of turning on the fixed post, but having no longitudinal movement, except to a limited extent, such as is necessary to adjust its position on the post with respect to the lower disk. The faces of the two disks have frictional surfaces of corresponding area that lock the two disks together when brought into contact by the up ward movement of the driven disk. As soon as this friction becomes sufficient to overcome the resistance of those parts which are connected with the upper disk, a rotative movement of that disk takes place, and therefore the valve -co'ntrolling mechanism, of which the disk H is a part, is operated when the centrifugal force acting on the arms of the gov ernor is suflicient to move up the lower disk.

The sleeve 11* is a part of the disk H or is fixed to it, and has an arm I, attached to a loose joint 75, to one end of the slide-bar K, the other end of which sets through and slides in a yoke or slotted guide M on the valvebody. A spiral spring N, attached at one end to the arm 70 back of the pivot 73' and at the other end to the slide-bar at a po nt beyond, acts in opposition to the movement of the arm or draws the two parts together, so that their tendency is to return to the angularposition. The outer end of the slid e-bareontrols thelift of the valve 1) by limiting the stroke of the valvestem as it is interposed between the end of the stem and the top of the yoke above it.

This end portion ot the slide-bar is shaped of movement that the slide-bar is caused to make. For this purpose the end portion is graduated in steps it" lit" along the top, the portion of least thickness at the extreme end setting upon the valve-stem when the slidebar is at rest and not under control of the lower disk. From that portion the bar throws forward through the yoke, bringing another step or portion over the valve-stem as the disk is rotated, thereby reducing the lift of the valve according to the thickness of the bar setting over the stem, or closingthe valvealtogcther if the part of greater thickness is brought between the top of the yoke and the valve-stem.

Provision is made for varying the distance between the two disks, so that they will be coupled by a longer or shorter movement of the centrifugal arms to make the slide-bar act on the valve under greater or less degree of change in the speed of the enginethis ad justment being made by means of a nut I, working on the threaded end of the post, and a spiral spring P, set inside the sleeve, The upper portion of the post is turned off to give room for the spring, and the shoulder s forms one bearing-point tor the spring, while the top of the spring sets against the head of the sleeve and holds it against the nut I.

The arm I is formed separately from the sleeve in order to permit adjustment in two directions, both angularly and up or down on the sleeve. For this purpose the arm is split and is held by a clamp-screw I, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. By loosening the armI and turning it on the sleeve the position of the slide-bar can be changed to bring another step or portion of different thickness into place over the valve-stem, and thus the throw or lift of the valve can have more or less variation, as desired. As thus constructed and arranged, it will be seen that the slide-bar is thrown forward by the rotative movement of the upper disk or part of the coupling when the part of the rotating disk or part below is lifted and held in contact, and that the slidebar is returned to position by the sprinL as soon as the coupling-disks are separated or i the friction below them falls below the holding-point. The valve, therefore, comes back to its full throw as quickly as the upper disk is released, because the valve-coi'itrolling bar is disconnected at such time from the centrifugal arms.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

I l l 1. In an engitie-governor, the combination of a continuously-drivcn sleeve carrying ccntrit'ugal arms, a friction-disk adapted to ro- 1 tate continuously with and to be moved vertically by the angular movement of the centrifugal arms, a friction-disk mounted over the eontinuously-driven disk and turned by frictional contact therewith, and a valve-controlling slide-bar which is connected to said upper disk and by the rotary movement of said part is set in position between the valvestem and a fixed point, substantially as described.

In an engilie-governor, a driven sleeve having continuous rotation upon a fixed post, centrifugal arms carried by said sleeve, having cam-toes, a loosely-turning friction-disk resting on the toes and having vertical move ment on the fixed post, afriction-disk mounted loosely upon the post over the continuouslydriven disk and adapted to be locked to the driven disk by frictional contact and having partial rotation given to it by such contact-,and a longitudinally-movable slide-bar attached to said upper disk, having steps or parts of varying thickness at the outercnd, in combination with the stem of a valve to be controlled, having a yoke to take the end of the slide, as described.

In an engilie-governor, the combination of the continuously-driven sleeve or part can rying centrifugal arms, a sliding and rotating friction-disk having a standing rim and adapted to be driven by the sleeve and to be moved longitudinally by the angular movement of the centrifugal arms, a Second disk titting within the rim of the continuouslydriven disk and by the vertical movement of that part caused to engage frictional contact, and a slide-bar or part having connection with said upper disk thereof with the stem oi. the valve to becontrolled and adapted by its angular movement to varythe vertical movement of the valve-stem, as set forth.

I. In an engine-governor having a continuously-driven friction-disk to which vertical movement is given by the angular movement of the centrifugal arms carried by said disk or a connected part, and a second frictiondisk having rotative movement when coupled to the continuously-driven disk, the combination, with said second disk, of the coilspring, adjustable arm, valve'eontrolling slide-bar, and spring, substantially as described, for operation as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoingl have hereunto set my hand and seal.

EDGAR THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. Osnonx, CHAS. E. KELLY.

IIO 

